LOUISVILLE, Ky. (FOX 56) — Statistics show more than 7 million Americans live with Alzheimer’s disease. New research shows scientists may be getting closer to predicting when symptoms of the deadly disease begin.
According to Norton Healthcare in Louisville, a new study at Columbia University found that combining a blood test for p-tau217 with genetic testing for the APOE4 variant may help doctors estimate when cognitive decline could begin.
Dr. Greg Cooper with Norton Neuroscience Institute said both markers are linked to a higher risk of Alzheimer’s disease. But he noted having them does not automatically mean someone will develop the illness.
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“For example, if I have an elevated level of p-tau217, it does not mean that clinically I’m going to develop Alzheimer’s disease, but it means that I’m at a higher risk for developing Alzheimer’s disease,” Cooper said…